Dutch Damen Shipyards Group said it has launched the first LNG-powered Damen EcoLiner inland shipping tanker at its Romanian yard.
The 3,040 m3 capacity EcoLiner is developed to deliver “ much-needed fuel economy for inland shipping operators while at the same time cutting emissions “, the company said in a statement.
“ The EcoLiner includes the world’s first installations of the ACES Air-Lubricated Hull, a gas-electrical shaft propulsion system and one of the first Van der Velden FLEX Tunnel installations. The vessel reduces fuel costs by up to 25% ,” according to the statement.
The European Union, following its ambitious goal towards greening the transport sector, co-finances the project from the Trans-European Transport Network Programme with more than €1.1 million as part of the project “LNG Masterplan for Rhine-Main-Danube”.
Damen said it recently completed tank testing of the new design at research institute MARIN, which “confirmed the EcoLiner’s efficiency “.
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Images: Damen